Kingston Retreat gains second career success

The well-backed Kingston Retreat (13/2 into 4/1 before the off) landed the 2m5f handicap hurdle under Danny Mullins.

Mullins stayed wide throughout on the daughter of Mahler who hit the front before two out and quickly drew clear. She stayed on well to account for Garcon Doux by three and three quarter lengths with Rips Dream filling third spot.

Winning trainer Sean O'Brien said: "We probably weren't riding her handy enough and not making enough use of her. That was the improvement in her today. We rode her wide because the ground was so well-watered on the inside, it was too much. All the winners are coming from out wide.

"Danny gave her a lovely ride and kept it simple. She has had two good runs on the lead up to this. In Wexford we probably didn't have an awful lot of luck in running. It was a very funny race and Mark (McDonagh) just got no run on her.

"Today we said we would keep it simple, up handy in the first three or four. She won well. She will stick to the handicaps and if we could get a mares beginners chase down the line, one with a rating band to avoid the good beginners. The quicker the ground the better she will be."

"I got her off Jimmy Barcoe and to be fair she had very good form for Jimmy as well. The man that owners her is only a neighbour of mine and he said he would give me a go and it's all worked out. It's my first horse for Sean (Shanahan) and it's great. It's also Danny's first winner for me. Things are going well, so we can't complain."

Quotes from Donal Murphy